Remembering Patrick and hugs to his mum Louise.

I posted this in 2012, that's how long ago I met Louise Martin. She is a very special friend. Both of us have lost our boys. Yesterday was the anniversary of her Patrick's death.

When fellow bereaved Mum Louise read my Sands mums running she told me that in 2 days, it will her her Patrick's anniversary, and she wasn't looking forward to it. It decided to write this blog for my flower meme.

This can be a story of the life cycle of the butterfly. But this is beyond this. In two days time, Patrick Martin would have been celebrating his 10th birthday in Heaven. He should probably be playing in Junior rugby or rugby league. His mum Louise should be busy preparing for his real birthday party. But there is none of these going to happen. Louise's heart is heavy and she knows she is dreading the day.

I wasn't here when this happened. It was a stroke of unusual circumstance that Louise and I became friends. We were at a workshop and she invited me to sit beside her. I introduced myself as a bereaved mum, and Louise touched my arm. She whispered, I am too. It was as if that touch and soft words were magical. We became friends.

On Friday, I was sitting outside the clump of swan plants teaching some students. A Monarch butterfly landed on my shoulder. I taught my kids with this song Butterfly, my butterfly, wait for me don't fly away, I told the students, it is natural for the butterflies to fly away when they are ready.

But in the case of Patrick, it was far from being natural. I looked up the archives, It was a very tragic case.